Railway switch



AI DESROCHERS.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.4. 1922.

Patented Apr. 4, 1,922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. DESROCHERS.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APELICATmN FILED m14, |922.

1 ,41 1 ,844. Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

III'IA'I' A. DESROCHERS.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLxcATloN FILED mu` 4, 14922.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

` 3 SHEETS--SHEET 3.

l' Ill ff .f

adapted to selectively energize either the electro-magnet 9 or the electro-magnet 10,

whereby to impart corresponding shifting movement ofthe switch element 11, such mechanism 'including a'housinff 11"liaving an intermediate horizontal partition Wall 12 therein, While yieldable or spring cushioned contacts 13 and 14: are arranged on the bottom `ofsaid housing and connected to terminal posts 15,1vhich, inturn, are provided with suitable means for facilitating the seeuringsofielectrical conductorsto the same, as at 16. A plurality of plungers, three in vnumber, indicated respectivel by the numerals 17, 18and 19, are sli' ably received ithrough openings in `the top Wall of the "housing 11, and the plungers 17 and 19 have `their inner portions formed substantially square in `cross `section and slidablyengaged through correspondingly shaped openings in ithe horizontal artition Wall 12, the `lower portions of sai plungers carrying insulati-ng blocks 20 on which contacts 21 and22 are `fnedlyarranged, said latter contacts being providediwith means for facilitating the securing of certain other electrical Vconductors thereto. LaterallyinWarldly extending arms 23 are lixedly arranged upon those portions of the plungers I"17 and 19 just insidel of the housing A'11,and in order that said plungers ivillbe normally "retained in' their uppermost positionsyexpansible `coil springs 24 are arranged abouttheir respective'squared portiens, certain of the ends of the springs hav- .15 ing bearing uponadjacent `portions oi the a'rms23, While the remaining ends bear upon adjacent portions ofthe partition Wall12. It will thus be obvious that by depressing either the `plunger 17er the plunger 19, the contacts 21 or22 respectively carried thereon *willfbe caused to engage the oppositely disposed spring cushioned contacts 13 and 14, and, in this Way, close the electrical circuit through that particular portion of the operating mechanism which may be aptly rc- "i'erred to as'the settable means.'

.A solenoid 25 is supported upon the lower side of the partition `Wall 12, intermediate the contacts 21 and 22, and has the armature or core 26 thereof slidably mounted in an elongated casing 27 about which the solenoidv Windingis coiled. i A substantial bell crank lever or trip 28 is pivotally supported,.as at- 29, upon the upper side of the wall 12 in nroiiirnity to the open upper end of the casing 27 and lhas adependent nib 30 Yformed on une end thereof adapted to be normally arrangedinthe open upper end o'f the casing 2'2", M'as "shown'in' the Figure '5, While `the free pertion of said -trip 28 is bifurcated and theLlowerrportion of the plunger fd. Therlilungerldrin turn, has a tapered or truste-conical *shoulder "31 formed `upon its iintermed'rate uportion Vadapted `to contact with "thelbevelled 'inner sides `of spring pressed catches 32 pivoted upon either side Y or' said plunger, as at 33, and supported upon an adjacent portion of the partition Wall 12.` A, second annular .shoulder 34. is formed upon the lower portion o'f the plunger 18, andj serves :for a purpose which will be hereinafter more fully described. Due to the tension applied to the pivotal catches it will be understood that they will nor- .rnallyY be lmoved'into engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the frusto-conical shoulder 31. Y

The arrangement of the spring pressed pivotal catches 32 is such as will permit 4of the movement of the inner or freefends of the arms 23 over their bevelled inner sides and `to engage with-the undersides thereof, as shown inthe Figure 8, `whereby when said arms arc so engaged with the catches, their respective plunger-s l7-'and I9 Will be temporarily retained in depressedpostions.

Coming now to the means forconducting electrica-l current itothe contacts 13,21, 14 and 22 and the solenoid Ywinding25, the shaft upon which the trolley wheel 7 is mounted has its opposite portions extended and rotatably receives on `these extended portions contact `rollers 35, locking nuts 36 `being turned into engagement with the extremities of these extended ortions for an obvious purpose. AElectrica conductors 37 and 38 are extended from the several contact rollers 35, while upon the trolley wheel 7 a main feed conductor 39 is extended, this latter conductor, as will be understood, supplying power to the motor of the ear 1. The opposite ends of the conductorsv37 and 38 are `connected to the contacts 22 and 21 respectively, while a shunt conductora() is extended from the feed `conductor 39 into engagement with the winding of the 4solenoid 25,*1from whence lit is extended by way of a conductor 41 throu li a branch conductor 42 into enga ment W1 h the terminal' ost 15.

In order t at electrical energy may e sup- 110 `plied to the electro-magnets 9 and 10 for selectively throvvinglthe switch element 4, I provide a trip type of circuit closing device, arrangng the same in a housing 43 which is supported jbetween cables44 se- 115 cured to poles 45 arranged uponthe Vroadwav bordering the track 2. 'Thellow'er sfide of this housing 43`is open, and'tdtheunderside of the top Wall thereof, I secureiapair of rods 46 throu h the rmedium of brackets 120 47, arrangingcol springs48 upon saidlrods `and permitting the same to bear, at their adjacent ends, upon tri arms W9 and 50, which 'trip arms, as will1 noted, are pivotally supported upon longitudinal bal-e151 125 disposed' `rallel ofthe *housing'idundfsecured 'at their oppositeiende, in a suitable manner, thereto. A contact arm'52 isalso arranged longitudinally of the housing 43, being secured at its opposite 4end to ad 130 contact with an adjacent portion of the trolley wire 5. Electrical conductors 53 and 54 are connected to certain ot the yends oi the rods 4G and are extended into engagel ment with the terminals of the electro-inagnets 9 and 10 respectively, the remaining terminals oithese magnets being grounded. to the switch 3 through the medium of ground wires 55. Obviously, with energization o'l the magnet .9, the switch element et will be caused to move in a direction towards one particular core, while with energization ot the electro-magnet 10, the switch element l will be caused to move in an opposite direction, thereby permitting of its selective operation for. causing the trainwa-y car 1 to traverse either of the curves ot the switch, that may be desired.

The operation o1" the invention may be reviewed as follows:

The motor-man of the tramway car 1 upon approaching the switch 3 'in theitracl 2, will, tor purposes oi: illustration, depress the plunger 17, causing engagement between the contacts 21 and 13 and also engaging the arm 23 thereon with the spring pressed pivotal catches 32, thus holding the Vplunger in its depressed position and the conductors 21 and 13 engaged. When that particular Contact roller 35 carried upon the trolley wheel shaft extension engages the Contact 51.9, it will immediately complete an electrical circuit through the interengaged con tacts 21, the arm 49 and the electro-magnet 9 connected thereto, .the current going to ground by way ofthe ground wires Because of this, the electro-magnet 9 will be energized and in consequence, will attract the pivoted switch element lthereto, closing the circuit accordingly. Simultaneously with energization ot' the magnet9 for a period sufficient-,itc attract the pivoted switch element 4.-, the electro-magnet 25 will he energized and will cause abrupt upward 1novenient of its core 26 in the casing 27 therefor, whereupon said core 26 will impart a sharp or hammer like blow to the nib 30 carried on the adjacent end of the trip lever 28, thus moving the free portion of said trip lever downwardly so that it engages the annular shoulder 3e and pulls the plunger rod 18 downwardly, moving the .trusto-conical shoulder 31 over the adjacent bevelled surfaces of the pivotal catches 32 and spreading the same suiiiciently so as to cause disengagement between the particular catchA 32 engaging the arm 23 of the plunger 17. At this time, the plunger 17 will immediately return to its uppermost position in the housing 11 under influence of the'coil spring 24. Operation of the apparatus to effect movement of the switch element 4 in an opposite direction is identical with that above eX plained with the exception, of course, that the plunger 19, in this event, would be depressed and circuit would be closed upon en-V gagement ot the contact roller receiving the conductor 37 contacting with the pivote-d arm 50. Due to the pivotal spring mounting of the contact arnese-9 and 50, it will be understood that the same will provide a brushing or wiping contact as between the rods 416 and `the conductors 37 and 38, the

period of time consumed therebyy being suticicnt. to permit of energization ot' the active elements of the invention. Should the motor-man, by mistake, depress either ot' the plungers 17 or 19, they may be immediately Vreleased by manually depressing the plunger 18, causing the truste-conical shoulder 31 to spread the catches 32 and thereby release the arm 28 of the erroneously depressed plunger 17 or 19, thus avoiding the necessityof having a tramway car enter the switch inthe wrong direction.- f

Manifestly, the construction shown capable of considerable modification and such modilication as is within the scope of my claims, l consider within the spirit of my invention. i Having thus l'ully described the invention, what I claim as new and desircto protect by Letters Patent is z- 1. Automatic switch operating apparatus. comprising in combination with electrically propelled rolling stock movable over the switch, electro-magnetic' means for moving the switch element to its several positions. means operable from the rolling stock for selectively controlling the energization of the electrtv-magnetic means, means for-teni porarilj,v securing' saidV controlling means in their circuit closing positions, circuit closing` means connected to the energy supplying conductor for` the rolling stock adapted to be connected-to the electro-magnetic means` through the selectively controlled means, and means operable upon connection of said .circuit closing means with the selective controlled means for returning` the same to their normal position and deenergizing the electro-magnetic means.

2. .Automatic switch operating apparatus, comprising in combination with electrically propelled rolling stock movable over the switch, electro-magnetic means for moving the switch element to its several positions, means operable from the rolling stock for selectively controlling the energization at said electro-magnetic means, automaticall,T and manually operable means for retaining the selected controlling means in an operative position, said controlling means being electrically connected to the trolley of the rolling stock, and circuit closing means adapted to be engaged by said trolley connected to the electro-magnetic means for `establishing an electrical circuit through certain lof the same dependent upon the selected controlling means` said selected controlling means being relcased'from its operative position immediately subsequent to the energization ofthe clectro-imgnetic means. i

3. Automatic switch operating apparatus, comprising in combination `with the elecvtrically propelled rolling stock movableover the switch, electro-magnetic means for selectively moving the switch t0 either of its several i sitions, circuit closing meansadjacent t ef energy supplying conductor'of "the rolling stock individually connected to the electro-magnetic means, controlling 1means connected tothe controlling contact of the rolling stock and comprising interengageable contacts, said interengageablle con- -tactsbeng included in individual electrical circuits including` the trolley contact, and means for retaining certain of theinterengageable contacts in their operative position, attimes, but releasing the same with enengization of the electromagnetic' means.

4. Automatic switch operating apparatus, comprising in combination with electrically `propelled rolling stock movable over the switch, electro-magnetic means for selectively moving theswitch to its several positions, individual circuit closing means connected to the trolley Wire of the rolling stock and to the electro-magnetic means, controlling means for selectively energizing the electro-magnetic means electrically connected to the trolley wheel of the rolling stock,.said trolley Wheel having a pair of contacts thereon engageable, individually, with the circuit closing means, said vcontrolling means including spring cushioned contacts, oppositely` disposed depressible contacts adapted to engage with the adjacent spring cushioned contacts forV completing electrical circuit therethrough, means for retainin either of said depressible contacts `iniits epresscd position, means for effecting the manual 'release of said depressed -con-` tact *and other means for elliecting automatlcrelease'of said depressed contact imlnausea mediately subsequentto the energizationof lthe selected electro-magnetic means.

ing having a horizontally partitioned Wall therein, spring cushioned contacts arranged in the bottom Wall of said housing, depressible contactsentending from the top wall and partition Wall of said housing, spring means for normally retaining said depressible contacts int-heir inoperative po- -sitions,v said depressible cont/acts being adapted to be engaged `ivith the opposite/lyY disposed spring cushioned contacts'whereby to close an electrical circuit therethrough for individually energizing the electro-magnetic means, laterally extending arms carried on the `depressible contacts, spring actuated pivotal catches supported upon the horizontal `partition wallwand adapted to be engagedV vby said lateral arms, manually operable means for moving said pivotal catches to positions vvherea-t they will disengage the laterally extendedV arms, an electromag- 'net positioned in proximity to said pivotal catches having a movable core, a trip lever pivoted in proximity to the upper end of said last mentioned electromagnet, and

adapted to be actuated by said movable core ofthe same, whereby to automatically operate said means 'ormoving the 'ivotal catches to their released positions, t e last mentioned `electro-magnet bein connected to and adapted to be included 1n either of the electrical circuits established through the depressible contacts whereby to` eifect operation of its movable core immediately subsequent to the energization of the first electro-magnetic means. Y

`In witness whereof 'I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTHURf -nEsRooHnns 

